This is a 1942 Chamber dated Mauser byf "Black
Widow"
built for contract for the German Wehrmacht. This Parabellum is 9mm
with a 4" (100mm) barrel that is proofed and serial numbered to the gun. Serial number placement is in the
military ("exposed") style. The thumb
safety is marked "Gesichert" and extractor "Geladen." This example has
all matching numbers.(1770)

NOTE: Photographs taken today
with the high mega-pixel camera show more than we sometimes can see with
the human eye. Magnified close-ups show us tool marks and natural
surface conditions that one normally doesn't see in the ordinary
handling of the weapon. Photographs are
copyrighted, all rights reserved, any extraction, reproduction or
display of gun pictures without the express consent of the Phoenix
Investment Arms is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation.

These are known to collectors as the
1934 Model (the general period when the rework of the DWM/BKIW ended and
new production began).

In 1941 production
was on a war time footing at Mauser in Oberndorf. The German military's
decision to switch to the less expensive P38 in 1938 had begun to reduce
the contracts to Mauser to produce Lugers. In mid-1942 Mauser also
tooled up to start producing the P38. However, there was a large
requirement to arm all the various police units throughout Germany and the
captured territories .

War time
production also discarded the extra steps of "straw bluing" the trigger,
thumb safety, locking lever in favor of the complete blue process.
So to we begin to see the dark colors of the hot salt blue treatment. The grips and magazine bottoms were
beginning to be made out of Bakelite because of the shortage
of wood and aluminum.

The extractor is marked "GELADEN". The bore is good with
distinctive lands and groove.
The thumb safety is new style, and blued. The thumb safety is marked 'Gesichert' and
safe is down. These end of contract production Lugers (the P38 was
under production as the side arm) were mostly issued to the SS
occupation
troops that had their own procurement system.

The Black Widow was a
product of Mauser forced by the shortage of walnut to build stocks for
the Mauser K93. The black Bakelite and black plastic bottom on the
FXO extruded magazine give it a unusual look in all black.

Mauser-Werke and
Berliner-Karlsruher Industrie-Werke (BKIW), [BKIW was the successor to DWM
(Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken)] had common ownership. In
1930 the machinery, technicians and supplies were moved from Berlin-Wittenau
to Oberndorf and BKIW's interest in the Parabellum ceased.

The gun is all matching with the serial number on the
barrel, the frame and comes with two FXO black bottom magazines. These
were the prescribed issue for the black Bakelite grips.

To conceal production a
series of alphabetical dates were assigned in addition to the code on
the toggle byf (issued to Mauser in February 1941). ''42" dates
are representative of the Luger accepted by the German military in 1942. This Luger has a deep blue, almost
commercial color to it. It is in very clean condition and an
exceptionally fine piece.

The inside of the gun is
clean and reflects the effort for cleaning
the past 40 years. Lugers that are stored for any period of time should
have the wooden grips at least waxed on the inside to protect contact with
the metal. The Bakelite grips remove this opportunity for moisture. The barrel is strong and shiny. Questions to
Josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com

The rear axel pin has
been numbered in accordance with the 1933 order to prevent the armorers
from interchanging the pins. Sometime in full recoil with the
hot loads the Luger fired the pin would extend beyond the frame and be
chipped. Mauser later solved this by putting a 4mm hump on the "ears"
at the rear of the frame now referred to as the Mauser "hump".

Additional views of
the excellent proofs and markings on this Parabellum. The Black
Widow is one of the most sought after Lugers by collectors. Driven
by the shortage of materials the Mauser plant adopted the Bakelite grips
and magazine bottoms in 1941 and 1942 before production for the P-30,
also with Bakelite grips replaced the Luger on the production line.

On the back of the holster with the "42" date and the P08 stamp
along with the Waffen amt manufacturer acceptance proof. We strive to provide pictures
so you can judge for yourself if the gun meets your criteria. The
leather is in very good condition with all the stitching intact. All
parts of the holster are still pliable and functional. This rig
comes with the all-matching Luger, a loading tool, an extra matching
magazine, a period belt and Wehrmacht belt buckle. This buckle was
worn by an enlisted man with his field uniform. What a wonderful WWII
battlefield bring-back and a like new holster.

The inside of the holster is almost a
clean as the day it was issued, the stitching is white and the pull
strap fully functional as is the pocket for the loading tool.

Above left is the loading tool or
"skate key" as some refer to it; actually it is used inverted with the
screwdriver end up and the hole placed over the follower knob on the
magazine and the extension is for the thumb to push down the follower to
load the magazine. Above right is the tongue on the belt that has
both the Waffen Amt and the "42" date.

This almost new pebble
stamped belt buckle was the general issue for the Wehrmacht and while
some were painted with a feldgrau, (field gray) color as part of the
camouflage pattern most were simply worn as issued. This is an
exceptionally fine example with little wear to the eagle and swastika.

The back of the holster is marked with
manufacturers code and there is no P-08 in the upper right
corner of the rear of the holster. Perhaps this was a
supplemental order at the end of the run but it is a beautiful
62 year old holster from the battlefield.

Serial number placement is in the military ("exposed") style.
The serial number appears on the front of the frame, on the side of the
locking bolt, on the trigger, on the bottom of the barrel, the side
plate, the left side of the receiver, the safety bar, the sear
bar, the rear connecting pin, and on the extractor. Note on the barrel
is an Eagle 655 indicating a newly made barrel that was proofed.

It is entirely
subjective to give any Luger a rating of excellent or fine, just
as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few Lugers are out
of the box new and these are premium priced. Bluing percentages
is like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder. We would rather
answer your questions and provide you with photographs than ship
guns back and forth.

This Mauser 1942 byf, a battlefield pickup comes with an
all matching P08 41 Mauser byf, a 1942 holster plus matching magazine in
minty condition with a loading tool proofed to the gun. An enlisted man's
Wehrmacht belt & belt buckle is also included with this rig. Any
questions to
josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com.This
complete rig is offered for $3,895.00
over the counter.